Canopy-type door



Jan 6, F. J. NIES CANOPY TYPE DOOR Filed Oct. 2/ 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/A-J ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK J. NIES, OI GLEN RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, ABSIGNOR '10 THE PEELLE COMPANY,

01 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CANOPY-TYPE DOOR Application tiled October 9,1829. Serial No. 898,788.

My invention relates to canopy t pe doors,

and more particularly to a door this'type embodying therein a combined guiding and safety attachment by which the lower edge B of the lower, foldab c section ofthe door'is guided durin the opening and closing'movements of the our, and, in the event 0 break- 'a e of the chains or other flexible connections controllin the opening and closing movements of t e door, the falling of the door is prevented.

The so-called canopy type door or jackknife door asit is sometimes called, consists of two sections, the upper one of which is hinged above and adjacent the lintel of the door opening, and the lower one of which is hinged at t e sections.

. Adjacent the jambs of a door opening, vertically extending wall angles are customarily used, and the lower section is provided with arbors at opposite edges, adjacent the bottom thereof upon which are mounted rollers which bear against such wall angles. Such arbors I also carry swivelling fittings to which flexible connections are attached, these connections passing over pulleys above the wall angles, and being connected with a counterweight,

or an operator, for facilitating the opening and closing of the door.

When a door of the type above referred to is bein opened, the two sections fold toward each 0t 16!, the lower edge of the lower sec- F tion movin in a. substantially vertical line by reason-o the action of the counterweight or the o erator and of the swivelling fitting, and the ocation of the various guide pulleys, the thrust of the up er section and the point of the attachment of the flexible connections serving to engage the rollers at op osite edges of the lower section with the we 1 an les at all times during both the o ening an clos-. ing of the door, and while t e door is in the open position.

Heretofore, canopy type doors have been made and successfu 1y 0 erated,1n,wh1ch the wall angles each carrie a rack bar, and the pivotal fittin 1 for the flexible connectlons carried a rate at tooth or dog acted upon by a spring soas to engage the. tooth or dog meeting line of the two with the rack bar in the event of the breakage of a chain. Such doors, in respects other than the safet feature above referred to, embodied al of the other characteristics common to doors of this type, including therollers co-actmg with the angle bars for permitting ease of movement when opening and closing a door.

Doors of the ty e to which my invention relates are extenslvel used for closing the latform entrances o warehouses and simiar structures, such entrances ordinarily being both wide and high. 7 By reason of the dimensions of the door sections, and the ne- 'cessity for constructing them to withstand the severe treatment to which they are subjected, considerable weight is required in the doors and serious injury may result to workers in the event of the breakage of the flexible connections. While the rack and ratchet mechanism above referred to oifers a safe uard against the accidental due to breakage of the connections, there is a possibility of the breakage of the safety attachment, due to the sudden application of the full load of the door to the parts of the attachment and a slight acquired momentum before the ratchet or do is properly engaged with one of the teeth 0 the rack bar. I In a canopy type door embodying my invention', I provide an attachment adjacent the bottom edge of the lower door section, which, under normalconditions, co-operates with. the guide structure to prevent any substantial movement of this section, or of the door in its entirety, towards or from the wallof the building, .the variousparts of which attach- .ment, in the event of the breakage of the flexible connections, co-acting to develop a progressively increasing force resisting downward movement of the door. The fitting, in its entirety, including the various guiding and braking members, is pivotally connected with the lower door section permitting the necessary turning or swivelling movement of said section during the opening and closing of the door. Said swivelling movement, however, will not disturb the operative relation of thedifi'erent parts of the attachment to each falling of the oors,

and weight of the door,

- progressively other, and the co-operating parts of the guide structure.

I embody in the attachment a brake member co-operating with the guide structure and one of the guide rollers to ensure under norconstruction, however, is such that after such initial setting, the brake member may receive of the door,

additional movement, 'due to the movement which will develop increasing braking power, thus relieving the ide structure from all those stresses resulting from the sudden stoppage and at the same time preventing the development of suificient momentum to subject this stresses.

guide structure to excessive in the event of the breakage connections, the whole at- Furthermore, of the flexible tachment, even though the spring actuating the brake member should break will swivel about its connection with the door ina manner to engage the brake member-with the cooperating portion of the guide structure and .cause the'ultimate setting of the brake memer and thus retard, if not entirely stop, the closing movement of the door. In fact,even in the event of the partial failure of thebrake mechanism, it will have a retardant action .which will ensure movement of the door' at a sufficiently low speed to enable workers to escape from the danger zone, andv avoid serious injury toany one who might be struck by the door while it is thus slowly moving. Q

The invention consists primarily in a canopy type door embodying therein verti-- cally extending guides upon opposite sides of the door opening, includin metallic flanges projectingtoward each ot er, a door section between said guides, ascombined guiding and braking attachment at each side of said panel including therein a frame, a

\ pivotal connection between said frame and link and said said door section, a guide roller, concentric with said ivo'tal' connection and engaging one face of the .flange of a guide structure, an eccentric brake member rotatably mounted in said frame in engageable relation with the opposite face of. the flange of a guide strucv ture, a lever carried by and movable with said'brake member, a link slidably mounted in'said frame, and connections between said lever, guide pulleys above said towar with the guide structures but one of guide structures respectively, and flexible connections for sustaining the load of said door section connected with .the links of said attachment and passing about said pulleys; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts, as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto ap ended.

eferring to the drawings, V Fig. 1 is a condensed view from the floor side of the door opening, of a canopy type door embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof with; the guide I structure'partly' broken away;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the lower portion of the lower door section;

Fig. 4 is a view of the combined'guideand brake attachment shown in relation to, the

guide structure, which is shown in vertical section; 1

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. '1 from the opposite side of the attachment; and

igi 6 is aview from the left of Fig. 4

. with the rail structure partly broken away.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. I In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, I'have illustrated it in con,- nection with .a canopy type door consisting of an upper section 10, hinged-to the wall of a building above the lintel of a 'dooropening, 11, 'so as to fold upwardly and away from said wall, and .a-lower. door'section 12;

shown at hinged to then per door-section by means of bin cs 13 as s own in Fig; 2, so as to fold id upper section when the door is being'opened. I

M invention does not relate to any of the, details of construction of the door sections}- and the mannerof mounting *and connecting same as shown inthe drawings, but merely to the use with a door section a wardly, lidin and swinging movement of combined brafiin'g and carried .by this doorsection'an therefor. Adjacent each the invention'shown, comprises a wall angle guiding attachments co-operating.

ving anupjamb of the door opening 11 is a guide structure which, in the form of 1 14 secured in any desired manner to the wall of a building,'.andcarr ing a guide angle 15, one flange 16 of whic extends-toward the uide structure adjacent the other door jamb. The door proper is located between the flanges of said ide angles, and is spaced therefrom sufliclently to provide clearance for they combined guiding and braking attachment locatedat each sideuof the lower section'of the door shown in the drawings. 7

The construction of each combinedguid: ing andbraking attachment is the same as the other,

ment comprises a substantially triangular so that a detailed description of them is necessary. This attachmemes frame 17, mounted upon a bearing stud 18 carried b a bracket 19 firmly secured to one face of t e door section 12 so as to have a the pivotal connection between the-frame17 and the door. This guide roller is of a diameter to be maintained in engaging relation to the flange 16 of the guide angle 15.

-Rotatably mounted in the frame 17 is an eccentric brake member 21, in engageable relation with the face of the flange 16 0%) site to that engaged by the roller 20. is brake member 21 is carried by a shaft 22, mounted in hearings in said frame 17, and is located at one side of this frame, said shaft 22 u on the other side of said frame being provided with a lever having one arm'23, to which is connected one end of. a spring 24, the other end of which is connected with a pin 25, carried by the frame 17. The normal tendency of this spring is to so rotate the shaft 22 and the brake member 21 as to engage the latter with the face of the flange 16 with suflicient force to cause frictional engagement of these parts and develo -brak-- ing action in a manner to be hereina ter described. The other arm 26 of said lever is connected in any desired manner, as by a wire cable 27 with a pin 28 carried by links 29 and-3O upon opposite sides of, and extending above, the frame 17.

The links 29 and 30 are vertically slidable in relation to the frame 17, so that with upward movement of said" links, the lever 2326 will be oscillated in a manner to tension the spring 24, and at the same time turn the shaft 22 to an extent todisengage the sccentric brake member 21 from the face of the flange 16. 1

Connected with the up er end of the links 29 and 30 in any desire manner, is a fiexible connection for sustaining the load of the door during the opening and closing movement. There being one such combined uiding and braking attachment at each si e of the door, there are two such flexible connections, indicated respectively at 31 and 32, one

of these connections, as 31, passing over guide pulleys 33 and 34, and the other, as 32, passing over a guide pulley 35. The other ends of these connections 31--32 are, in the form of the invention shown, attached to a counterweight 36.

The movement of the links 29 and 30 in relation to the frame 17 is limited b a bolt 37 secured to said links and passing t rough an elongated slot 38 in the upper portion of the frame 17. Alsoconnecting said links is a in 39 to facilitate the attachment of a flexible connection 31 or 32 with the links in any desired manner, as by means of a shackle 40 which also serves as a spacer to prevent bindin of said links against the sides of the Mounted upon the bolt 37 is a supplemental guide roller 41, in on aging relation with the same face of the ange 16 with which the brake member 21 co-operates. The

slot 38 is preferably extending at an angle downward yaway from the flange 16, so as to cause the roller-41 to have movement away from the said flange with downward movement of the links 29 and 30 in the event of theslgireakage of the flexible connections. 31 or Bay the use of the supplemental guide roller 1, all possibility of movement of the frame 17 sufficient to engage the brake member 21 with the flange 16, is prevented durof the slot 38. This positioning of the links 1 acts upon the arm 26 of the lever carried by the shaft 22 in a manner to develop and maintain tension in the spring 24 and at the same time so turn the brake member 21 as to maintain it out of engagement with the face of the flange 16 with which it co-operates. This position of parts is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

So long as a door is functioning normally, the relation of parts above described will continue, and when opening or closing a door, the frame 17 and the parts carried thereby have a directly vertical rise and fall Without any change in the relative position of the parts.

The guide roller 20, during the opening and closing of the door, by engagement with one face of the flange 16, and the roller 41, by engagement with the other face of said flange, maintains this position of the frame at all times during the normal functioning of the door. Furthermore, the brake member 21 oo-operates with the roller 41 to the extent of positively preventing excessive inward movement of the door as a result of the impacts thereon from the side of the door positioned toward the door opening.

As the lower section 12 rises or falls, the bracket 19 and its bearing stud 18 may turn freely in relation to the frame 17, thus permitting the necessary turning action of the door incidental to its operation, notwithstanding thedirect vertical movement of the frame 17 to which power is appliedeither by the counterweight 36, or other desired means for facilitating the opening or permitting the closing of the door.

connected with the exception of the action of theattachmentxas'" above described, the

normal operation of the door is the same as that of the ordinary canopy, or related, type "of door.

The main purpose of the attachment, however, is to guard against possible injury to workmen, or to the door structure, resulting from the falling of the door because of the failure of the'counterweight or other means acting through the frame 17 to tain the load of the door.

Assuming that the counterweight 36 is dis-' rom the chains or other flexible connections 31 and 32, the door is freeto close by gravity. Immediately, however,

properly. susthat said connections 31-and 32 are relieved of the load of the counterweight, the spring '24 acts upon the arm 23 of the lever connectthe flange 16 with which it co-operates, so

that downward movement of the frame 17 withthe door will firmly clamp said flange between the braking member 21 and the guide roller 20.

Following the initial frictional engagement of the member 21 with the flange 16, the

load of the door imparts further rotary movement to the member 21, thus developing a braking action commensurate with the weight and speed of the door. By this is meant that if, for any reason, the door should acquire some momentum, this is utilized to develop braking action.

' A desirable characteristic in the action of the braking member 21 is that. it accomplishes a rapid but gradual stoppage of the door, thus minimizing the strains to which the fitting and the guide structure are necessarily' subjected when stopping the door.

With the freeing ofthe links 29 and 30, there may be a slight tendency of the frame 17 to turn about the bearing stud 18. This is not undesirable, since it merely results in assisting to bring the braking member 21 into engagement with the flange 16, and any enga ement of said braking member with said ange will impart to the said member a rotary movement resulting in the development of. the desired clamping and braking action; In fact, this movement of the frame spring 24, result in a delayed braking action. Under this condition,- it is possible. that the doon might notbelentirelystopped until after it has had'considerable movement, but during this movement the braking action developed retards the movement of the door, so that even if it did strike somebody or some, object, no injury would be inflicted, or would be *of a minor character.

It will be borne in mind that the door section itself and the bearing stud 18 carried thereby are free to have a small quantity of movement away from the wall about the door opening 11.

The roller 41 is used mainly to prevent such movement of the frame 17, during the normal operation of the door, as will engage the braking member 21 with the flange 16, being a stop member for accurately defining the position of the frame 17 during the normal operation of the door.

While the braking member 21 is shown as a disk, it is obvious that merely the lower 180of this disk are operative, the use of the disk being merely for the purpose of permitting the reversal ofthe braking member in the event of wear, and simplifying the production of the combined guiding and braking attachment.

During the opening and closing of the door, there is a thrust of the bearing stud 18 toward the flange 16, due to the angular position of the door section 12, throughout the major portion of such opening and closing movements, and the guide roller'20 is relied upon mainly to ensure the vertical movement of the frame 17 and of the lower portion of the door section 12, which, however, has a swivelling movement about the axis of the guide roller 20 during this vertical movement.

The inclined slot 38 in the upper portion of the frame 17 causes the roller 41 to move away from the flan e 16 with any downward movement-of the lmks 29 and 30. This is merely to avoid possible binding of the bolt 37 when conditions are such as to require downward movement of the links 29 and 30. The braking member 21 may be of a fries tion metal, or of any other desired material possessing suflicient strength for the purpose for which it is used. The frame 17 and links 29 and 30 may be of malleable iron. The strength of the spring 24 need be merely sufficiently greatto ensure a rapid movement of the lever carrying the shaft 22 and the braking member 21, since under normal circumstances this lever does not carry any of the load of the door as the bolt 37 is engaged with the top of 'the'slot 38.

It is notmy intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the drawings, it being obvious that f such may be varied without departing from 17 will, in the event of the breakage of the the spirit and scope of the invention.

It will be noted however, that the invention involves the use of a particular guide structure, and a type of door in which the section carrying the combined guide, and brake attachment has both vertica 1 and turning movement when opening and closing the door.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is 1. A canopy type door embodying therein I vertically extendmg guides, ugonopposite sides of the door opening, inclu ing metallic flanges rojecting toward each other, a'door section etween said guides, a combined guidin and braking attachment at each {side of opposite face of t e flange of a said panel including therein a frame, a pivotal connection between said frame and said door section, a'guide roller concentric with said pivotal connection and engaging one face of the flange of a guide structure, an eccentric brake member rotatabl mounted in said frame in en ageable relation with the ture, a lever carried by and movab c with said brake member, a link slidably mounted in said frame, and connections between said link and said lever, guide pulleys above said guide structures res ectivel and flexible connections for sustainin t e load of said doorsection connected with the links of said attachment and passing about said pulleys.

2. .A. canopy type door embodying therein vertically extending guides upon opposite sides of the door opening including metallic flanges projecting toward each other, a door sectlon between said guides, a combined uid ing and braking attachment at each s1 e of said panel including therein a frame, a pivotal connection between said frame and said door section, a guide roller concentric with sides of the door opening, including metallic said pivotal connection and engaging one face of the flange of a guide structure, an cecentric brake member rotatably mounted in said frame in engageable relation with the opposite face of the flange of a tide structure, a lever carried by and move le with said brake member, a link slidably mounted in said. frame, a spring connected with said flanges projecting toward each other, a door section between said guides,-a combined uiding and braking attachment at each si e of said panel including therein a frame, a pivotal connection between said frame and said door section, a guide roller concentric with said pivotal connection and engaging one" face of the flange of a guide structure, an' eccentric brake member rotatably mounted in ide struce flange of a guide structure, a lever carried b an movab o with said brake member, 1a lin slidably mounted in said, frame, connections between said link and said: lever, and means co-operating with the same face of the flange engageable by brake membemfor limiting the oscil movement of said frame in one direction, guide pulleys above said guide structures respectively, and flexible connections forsustaming the load of said door section connected with the links of said attachment and passing about said pulleys.

4. A canopy type door-embodyingtherein vertically extending sides of the door openmg flanges projecting toward section between said guides, a combined guidin and braking attachment at each side of sai panel including therein a frame, a pivotal connectionbetween said frame and said door section, a guide roller concentric with said pivotal connection and engaging one face 0 the flange of a guide structure an eccentric brake member rotatably mounted in said frame in .enga cable relation with the opposite face, of the ange of a guide structure, a lever carried by and movable with said brakemcmber, a link slidably mounted in said frame a spring connected with said frame and acting upon one arm of said lever, connections between the other arm of said lever and said link, and means co-operating including metallic with the same face of the flange engageable bysaid brake member for limiting the oscfllatory movement of said frame in one direction, guide pulleys above said guide structures respectively, and flexible connections for sustaining. the load of said door sect-ion connected with the links of said attachment and passing about said pulleys.

5. A canopy type door embodying therein vertically extending guides upon opposite sides of the door opening, including metallic flan es projecting toward each other, a door section between said guides, a combined guidsaid atory guides upon opposite each other, a door with said pivotahconnection' and engaging one face of the flange of'a guide structure, an eccentric brake member rotatably mounted in said frame'adjacentsaid guide roller and in enga, g;eable relation with the opposite face of the flan 'ebf a guide structure, a lever carried by and movable with said brake member,

lac

a link, a bolt carried'by said link and passing through the slot in said frame, and com 'nections between said link and said lever, guide pulleys above said guide structures respectively, and horrible connections for susasp sides of the door opening, including metallic flanges projecting toward each other, a door 7 section between said guides, a combined guiding and braking attachment at each side of said panel including therein a frame, having a substantially vertically extending slot adjacent the top thereof, a pivotal connection between the lower portion of said frame and said door section, a guide roller concentric with said pivotal connection and engaging one face of the flange of a guide structure, an eccentric brake member rotatably mounted in saidframe adjacent said guide roller and in engageable relation with the opposite face of the flange of a guide structure, a lever 'ca'r ried by and movable with said brake member, a link, a bolt carried by said link and passing through the slot in said frame, a spring connected with said frame and acting upon one arm of said lever, and connections between the other arm ofsaid lever and said link, guide pulleys above said guide struc tures respectively, and flexible connections for sustaining the load of said door section connected with the links of said attachment and passing about said pulleys.

7. A canopy-type door embodying therein 'vertically extending guides upon opposite sides of the door opening, including metallic flanges projecting toward each other, a door section between said guides, a combined guiding and braking attachment at each side of said panel including therein a frame, having a substantially vertically extending slot adjacent the top thereof, a pivotal connection between the lower portion of said frame and said door section, a guide roller concentric with said pivotal connection and engaging one face of the flange of a guide structure, an eccentric brake member rotatably mounted in said frame adjacent said guide roller and in engageable relation with the opposite face of the flange of a guide structure, a lever carried by and movable with said brake memher, a link, a bolt carried by said link and passing through the slot in said frame, connectlons between said link and said lever, and a supplemental guide roller mounted upon said bolt and co-oper'atin with the same face of the flange engageafile' by said brake member for limitin the oscillatory movement of said. frame in one direction, guide pulleys above said guide structures respectively, and flexible connections for sustainlng the load of said door section connected with the links of said attachment and passing about said pulleys.

8. A canopy type door embodying therein vertically extending guides upon opposite sldes of the dooropemng, including metallic ing a substantially vertically extending slot ad acent the top/thereof, a pivotal connection between the lower portion of said frame and said door section, a guide roller concentric with said pivotal connection and engaging one face of the flange of a guide structure, an eccentric brake member rotatably mounted in saidframe adjacent said guide roller and in engageable relation with the opposite face of the flange of a guide structure, a lever carried by and movable with said brake member,"a link, a bolt carried by said link and passing through the slot in said frame, a spring connected with said frame and acting upon one arm of sald lever, connections between the other armof said lever and said link, and a sup lemental guide roller mounted upon said bu-) and co-operating with the same face of the flange engageable by said brake member for limiting the oscillatory movement of said frame 1n one direction, guide pulleys above said guide structures respective and flexible connections for sustaining the load of said door section connected withthe links of said attachment and passin about said pulleys.

' 9. A canopytype oor embodying therein vertically extending guides upon opposlte sides of the door opening, including metallic flanges projecting toward eachother, a door section between said guides, a combined, 1ding and braking attachment at each s1 e of said panel including therein a frame, a pivotal connection between said frame and sald door section, a guide roller engaging one face of the flange of a guide structure, an eccentric brake member rotatably mounted in said frame in engageable relation with the oppo- In witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature this 28th day Of- September, 1929. i

FRANK J. NIES. 

